Lithuanian Radio and Television

VERCINKEVIČlŪTĖ Jūratė, journalist, Vilnius

I was in the television building with some fellow journalists on that terrible night of January 12th. We had a good view of the entrance to the building, as the studio windows were facing the street. There were a lot of people, and students from the University had -made a sort of headquarters in a tent. At around 1:40 we heard explosions and gun shots. Then a second, a third, and others began to shake the windows. The shots, the gas bombs that were exploding in the crowd, and the screams of people were driving me crazy.

Suddenly in the corridor there was a terrible noise: „Vychodi! Stroisia!" („Get out! Line up!") We rushed into the corridor. A dreadful man came lumbering over. He was maybe 2 meters tall, had a beard, and his eyes looked mad.

Brandishing his tommy gun, he started shouting something. That moment lasted forever - it seemed like death was looking us in the face. We were pushed into the foyer and ordered to spread our legs and squat. We sat down because outside windows were shattering and the ground was shaking from the thundering of tanks. We were ordered not to move because we would be shot without warning. In a little while, he ran downstairs. We were on the fourth floor and below - on the second floor it seemed - we could hear shots, explosions, screams, and the howl of soldiers.

The police post that was by the door was destroyed, and the windows had shattered. We were pushed towards the glass porch and ordered to jump down through the glass. There was terrible confusion outside. Paratroopers turned on searchlights and searched the surroundings and the neighboring houses. They shot at the windows of the houses. Shattering glass, moaning, whistling, screaming, pleading - everything blended into a sea of confusion. In this turmoil we saw people die. Not far away one person fell down, hit by a bullet, and was rushed to an ambulance. Yet another person fell, bleeding. Exploding gas bombs swept everything aside. They exploded and people's faces, hands, and bodies turned into swaying, bloody masses.